Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah Financial District Entertainment - Bloomberg:
There might not be any banks yet in the King Abdullah Financial District, but on a sunny afternoon, the once-stalled development in Riyadh is packed with people.
Surrounded by unfinished skyscrapers, Mona Al Humaidi and Munira Al Shumaisi sipped iced coffee in an outdoor lounge, laughing and watching the crowds. "We lack open spaces in Saudi Arabia," 27-year-old Al Shumaisi said. "This kind of atmosphere’s very important for us."
The two Saudi women were among the first to explore "THE303," a smattering of pop-up cafes with live music that opened last month in the financial district. Along with a cinema nearby, the venue is bringing early signs of life to the long-struggling development, announced in 2006 as a hub for foreign and local banks. Plagued by delays, the $10 billion project was dismissed by many as a white elephant -- a ghost town that companies were reluctant to move into.
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